Moderation, Enjoyment of Life, Tranquility, Friendship, Lack of Fear

Phone ban in schools

French children up to the age of 15 are to be banned by law from using mobile phones anywhere in school grounds – including at break times – from September. French children are already banned from using phones in the classroom under legislation passed in 2010. The new, more wide-ranging law – which was passed by MPs last week and is expected to be approved by the senate – is aimed at improving pupils’ concentration; stopping them from playing on phones during lessons; helping to prevent cyberbullying, the sharing of pornographic images, and sexting.

President Macron had made introducing a “detox” law, (to ween children off their screens) one of his campaign pledges. However, it will now be up to individual schools to work out how to enforce the ban: critics have warned that because teachers have no legal right to confiscate phones, this could be difficult. (The Week, June 15,2018)

This seems a no-brainer to me. Yes, some kids will still be cyberbullying, sharing pornographic images, and sexting out of school hours, but the point needs to be firmly made that children are in school for the purpose of education, and “social” use of phones should be banned in schools for all ages. At my grandson’s school the children have to put their phones, under adult supervision, into lockers the moment they arrive at school, and there they stay until the end lf the school day – no exeptions. Break the rule and you are out.
Is this a violation of liberty? NO!